Citrus fruit reamer



July 1.2, 1960 T. AcosTA 2,944,576

cI'rRUs FRUIT REAMER Filed .July 1e. 1956 FIGJ MMM

United States .Patent C 2,944,576 crrRUs FRUIT REAMER Tracy Acosta, H. J. Magruder,V I New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Filed July 16, 1956, ser. No. 598,022 s Claims. (Cl. 146-3) This invention relates to a juice extracting apparatus and morelparticularly to an improved reamer for removing the juices and pulp from citrus fruits.

The reamer of the present invention is generally useful in apparatus for extracting juice from citrus fruits and is particularly adapted for use With automatic juice extracting apparatus whereinthe fruit Vis automatically cut in half and the reamer then operated toremove the pulp and juice from the fruit. AIn suchV automatic machines, no provision is made for orienting the fruit fed tothe cutter so' that the fruit is cut in a direction crosswise of the membranes which separate the fruit'sections and frequently the fruit is halvedin such a manner that some of the' membranes whichseparate the fruit sections are' not severed. AUnderthese conditions, completeitr eaming of the pulp and juice from the fruit halvesis rendereddiiliult. An importantobject ofthisinvention is to provide an; improved'- reamer'construction for more eficiently re-l` from'rthermmthe.radial-nbs '25 are eachA rounded-@to moving the j'uice and pulp from citrusfruits. f

vshown in Fig. 1. The reamer is then operated "to rekmove the juice and pulp from the fruit half sections 13 gageable withthe resilient ngers 15 operative to release Another object of this invention,is to provide areameri` construction adapted to sever any unbroken membranes' which enclose the pulp of the fruit sections to thereby facilitate removal of the pulp.f t

A further object' of thisl invention is yto provide `a citrus fruit reamer arranged to cut the membranes which separate the fruit sections without separating the mem-- branes from the rind whereby the reamer is operativeto remove the pulp from the `membrane and the'latter ret nection with the accompanying drawings wherein: v

Figure lis a fragmentary view of thereamer-shown applied to an automatic juice extracting-apparatus, and with parts broken away and shown in section to illustrate details of construction; f

' Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the reamer; Fig; 3 is a sectional view through the reamer taken on the plane 3--3 of Fig.r 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of one of the membrane cutters;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a half section of fruit cut along a plane parallel to the core of thev fruit; andv Fig. l6 is a side elevational View of the reamer shown in operation removing the pulp from the fruit.

, The reamer 10 of. the present invention'is generallyV and thejuice and pulp, after separation, are fed to separate receptacles.

` The gripping device 12 is arranged to automatically grip the citrus fruit and release the same after the reaming operation and in general includes an outer cup-shaped member 14 having resilient fingers 15 mounted thereon. The latter are formed with points l6arranged to impale the fruit. An ejector member :17 is mounted in the outer cup-shaped member for movement relative thereto. In

the form shown, the ejector member has pins`18 enthe fingers when the ejector member is extendedand to urge the fingers into clamping position when the ejector Vmember is retracted into the outer cup-shaped'member,

The reamer 10 is disposed -within the reamer housing 11 and, as is conventional, has a generally dome-shaped configuration. The reamer is attached to a reamer drive" shaft 21, as. by the threaded connection 22 and is rotated designated 25a-25h, which ribspreferablyextend 'substantiallyY radially offthe reamer'from a point 'adjacent f the crown 'of thereamer tothe lbase' or `lower edge thereof," yfor removing the; pulp from-the fruit. Since it is advantageoustortremove all'fthe pulpI 29 from 'the fruit with-` out. removi'riganyloflthel membrane Y28 'or rag material provide a 4'relatively"smooth undlated surface on` theY reamer which electively pressesj the pulp from'the membranes'withoutV tearing or otherwise separating the membranes fromv the rind.

In the'automa'ticy juice extracting apparatus,'no provisionjisY made for so orienting the yfruit with respect tojY the grippingelements that the latter .will always be cut in a direction transversely of the membranes, as shown in Fig. 1, and frequently the fruit is halved Vin a direction which extendsalong the core of the fruit, as shown Vin Fig'. 5, or at an oblique angle thereto. Under these conditions, some of the membranes 28 which Vseparate thesections of the fruit are not severed. When the radial s ribs on the reamer are rounded as previously described, a relatively hig'hpressure is required to force the reamer into the fruit hal-f sections. Y

"When the reamer vmust 'exert a relatively high'pressure during the reaming operation to force the reamer into the fruit, there isa marked tendency to break the oil'cells in the fruit skin andA release these undesirable oils. These oilsl from the rind, when mixed with the fresh fruit juice, adversely affect the flavor of the juice. 'Ihis invention is arranged to decreasethe pressure required to force the'rearner into the fruit and thereby prevent'extraction` of the oils Vfrom the skin.

' ln 'order'to reduce the pressure 'required to move the reamer into the fruitzhalfsections, thereamer isadvan- Y tageously provided with a transverserib 26 on 'the crown 34 thereof, vwhich rib projects abovethe lcrown ofthe reamer. The transverse rib 26, as best shown in Figi-2,

extends'obliquely to a pair of diametricallyfopposed ribsY designated 25d and 25h and these ribs are skewed somewhat ;at their upper ends to merge smoothly `with opposed.v ends of the transverse 'rib 26. Each 'of the ribs ZSa--ZSc` t This provides a continuous protuberance on the reamer which projects above the crown of the reamer and spirals slightly downwardly along'opposite sides of the reamer;A

In Vaccordance with the'prent invention one or more:V cutters are mounted on the reamer and arranged forrota-V tion Atherewith to vcut the lbrous vmembranes which sepa- Patented July 12,1960

the juice and pulp therefrom., In the embodiment illustrated, a pair of cutters designated 30 and 31 are pro- Vidre-dawhh alfteramay be mounted 011. theireamer in any dssrd 111.@141r.-AS..be.S t Shown nFisfS; .1 and 4., they cutters respectivelyv include annular vbase 32 'and 33 which -is pressed into complementary soeketsf and 35, formed inthe reamerhhead. The clutter blades are mounted o n the ,outerfsideof the reamer head eccentricallyof the lreamer laxishthat is, ata point on the outer Surface of the rearne1' head intermediate the crown and base, thereof tomove with the head in a circular path, asi.V shownV in dotted :lines at 36 andv 37 in Fig. 5. The blade `30 is preferably located relativelyV closer tothe crown thanmto the ba-segandris preferably spaced from'the crown a distance sutcient to prevent engagement of the bladey Withthev `Seeds injtherfruit. The'blade extends in a generally` axial direction outwardly of the periphery of the reamer headand isdimensioned to extend outwardly of the reamerA head suciently to project about oneei'ghth inch above a plane through the apex of the transverse rib 26 o n the top of the reamer head and normal -to theaxis of the reamer so as to'thereby sever the membranes. in, the' fruit in advance of the engagement of the membranes with the reamer head. Advantageous- 1y, the blades() ismounted as shown in Fig. 1 to` extend outwardly from one Yof the ribs such as 25h which project above vthe crownof the reamer to reduce the exposedarea of theblade. The blades are .each formed with a circumferentially nelongated across section to providethe requisite rigidity andthe leading edges of the bladesare sharpened to readily cut the membranes as the reamer rotates. The other blade 31 is spaced radially blade extending outwardly of the headV in a direction substantially parallel to the -axis of the head "to'cu't the'menbranes which separate the sections of the fruit, said cutter blade having an oblong cross-section and having the major transverse axis thereof disposed substantially tangentially of the circle described Iby 'said head at the point of attachment of the cutter blade' thereto.

3. A reamer for citrus fruits; comprising a solid domed head having a plurality of ribs'forrned on the periphery thereof and extendingv `from a point -adjacentrthe crown of the head to the lower edge thereof, said'ribs being rounded at the apex thereof to provideV a smoothly undulating surface on the lhead for pressing the juice `from the fruit, and a cutter blade on said headeccentrioof the axis of rotation thereof and located relatively. closer to the crown than to the'base of said'head, saidcutter blade extending outwardly of the head in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the head to cut the mernbranes which separate the sections of the fruit, said'cutter blade projecting above'a plane throughlthe crown of the head and normal to the axis thereof, said cutter blade having an oblong cross-section and havingV the major transverse axis'thereof disposed substantially tangentially of the circle described by the head at the point of attachment of the cutter blade thereto.

4. A reamer for citrus Ifruits comprising a solid domed head having a plurality of ribs formed onthe periphery thereof and extending `from a point adjacent the crown of the head to the) lower edge thereof, said ribs being rounded at the apex' thereof to provide a smoothly undulating surface on the head .for pressing the. juice from thefruit,` and a cutter blade on said head eccentric of outwardly on the reamer head from' the blade 30 and is arranged to sever. the membranes-adjacent the outer portion of the fruit half section. The blade 31.also extends axially` of the reamer, head and..preferably extends outwardly fromone of the ribs such as 25d approximately one-eighth inch or less to avoid cutting through the rind of the fruit.

.As ,is apparent, .the cutter blades 30 and 31 operate to. sever themembranes which separate the sections of the fruit to thereby open each of the sections. and facilitate removing of the pulp therefrom. The blades, however, do not tear or otherwise separate themembranes fromtherind so that the latterV remain in the rind. The protuberance formed by the raised ribs 25d and 25h and the transverse rib 26 projects above the reamer and reduces .the pressure required to force the reamer into the fruit.

I claim:

1. A reamer for citrus fruits comprising a solid d omed head having a plurality of ribs formed on the periphery thereof and extending from a point adjacent the crown of the head to the lower edge thereof, said ribs being rounded at the apex thereof to provide a smoothly undulating surface on the head for pressing the juice from the fruit, anda cutter blade on said head eccentric of the axis of rotation thereof and extending outwardly therefrom in a'direction substantially parallel to the axis of the head lto cut the membranes which separate the sections of the fruit, said .cutter blade having an oblong cross-section and having the major transverse axis thereof extending substantially tangentially of the circle described by said head at the point of attachment of the cutter blade thereto.

2. A reamer for citrus fruits comprising a solid domed head having a plurality of ribs `forrned on the periphery thereof and extending from a pointadjacent the crown of the head to the lower edge thereof, said ribs being rounded at the apex thereof to provide a smoothly undulating surface on the head for pressing the juice from the fruit, ,and a cutter blade on Lsaid head eccentric of the of rotation thereof and located relatively closer to the fcrown.than to the base of said head, said cutterV the axis of rotation thereof and located relatively closer to the crown than to the base of said head, said cutterf blade extending outwardly of the head in `a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the head to cut the membranes which separate the sectionsv of the fruit, said cutter blade projecting above a plane through the crown ofthe head and normal to the axis thereof, a second cutter blade on said `head between said rst mentioned cutter blade and the lower edge of said reamer and projecting upwardly therefrom in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the reamer head to sever the membranes adjacent Vthe outer periphery of the fruit halfsections, said second cutter blade being located at a point .circumferentially spaced around the reamer head yfrom said rst mentioned blade, said cutter blades having an oblong cross-section and having the major transverse axes thereof disposed substantially tangentially to the circles described by the head at the'respective points of attachment of the blades thereto.

5. A reamer -for citrus fruits comprising a solid domed head vhaving a plurality of substantially radi-ally extending ribs formed on the periphery thereof aud extending from a point adjacent the crown of the head to the lower edge thereof, said ribs being rounded at the apex to provide a smoothly undulating surface on the head for press-v ing the' juice from the fruit, and a cutter blade Vmounted on one of said ribs eccentric of the axis of the head and relatively closer to the crown than to the lower edge of the head, said blade extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the head to sever the membranes of the fruit and having an oblong cross-section the major transverse axis of which extends substantially tangentially of the circledescribed by the head at the point of attachment of the cutter blade thereto.

References Cited in the file of this `patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

